May 31, 2013

Good morning! Today is Friday and we have a busy day ahead of us here at the house. We have lots of errands to run. You know, just little things here and there to spruce up our place a bit, like new fabric for kitchen curtains and knobs for our kitchen drawers and cabinets. And of course some much needed flowers, because the only ones occupying our yard at the moment are dandelions. But before we get going I wanted to give you a diy. Yay DIY day! I haven't done one in a while.

Turn your fabric upside down and sew the edges on that side. You can pin down the edges to help you.

Fold your fabric accordion style lengthwise to make the bow. Hold it there and sew through the top and bottom (right where my fingers are in this photo!)

Next, flip your bow over and sew on your jump ring. This is going to help you use your bow for different things. Trust me, you'll want it!

Put a large dab of glue right in the centre of your bow (and a little on your jewel of choice too.) Attach your jewel and hold it down for a few seconds just to make sure it sets properly. And make sure it's on there straight while you're at it!

Ta Da! You just made a bow! Easy as pie.

You can use your adorable little bow for anything, really. That little jump ring is there for you to thread ribbon through, attach a hair pin or a keychain or anything else your heart desires! These are just some ideas I had:

*clip onto your shoes

*wear in your hair on a Bobbi pin or on a hair tie

*as a necklace

*tie onto your purse

*use on a keychain

*clip onto your shirt pocket (Seriously so cute, and I will be trying this!)

May 30, 2013

Let's talk cosmetics. I'm a huge fan. I like getting all dolled up in red lipstick and false lashes. It's so fun to put on a little more than you normally would, just for a bit of extra fun. I wanted to share with you our photo shoot makeup choices, to show how we got camera ready! This is how our Charming girls get ready...

For our make up, I was channeling a pinup look. I was really inspired by glamorous Old Hollywood beauties. My jewellery line is for having fun. It's quirky and a little wild, still with elegant touches. I wanted to play up it's softer side, by creating a make up look that was elegant, feminine and super romantic. So I stuck to a flawless, creamy complexion. Skin is everything, so picking a velvet-y foundation paired with a light reflecting concealer, soft dusting of powder, and lots of highlighter, can leave you with the dewiest, dreamiest skin. Yay! Define your brows. Nothing is stronger and sexier on the face than a defined brow that isn't over the top, but holds your look just perfectly still looking natural. The brows are the anchor of the face, you know! The placement of bronzer is also key. It should be slightly under the cheekbone and contour your face perfectly. High impact eyes require lots and lots of big lashes, so finding the prettiest pair of false lashes is lovely. Add some cat eyes by winging out your eyeliner past your eye and up slightly. Did you know that makes your eyes look wider and more awake?! Lastly red lips. Nothing says Old Hollywood more than the perfect shade of red on your pout. So there it is. High (vintage) drama CharmingShop style.

We love our kitschy, crafty style and adding a dramatic make up look, shows our belief that every girl has many sides. Our photo shoot choices definitely sum up how we feel about CharmingShop and the lifestyle surrounding it. We're offbeat and we love it. We just want you to be whoever you are! Strange, unique, funny, pretty - whatever you are, embrace it. There's more than one side to you, and we love that!

Hope you enjoyed a little look at how we operate at our make up table on photo shoot days.

I'm still feeling a little under the weather, but I'm still working on some special art for you all.

May 27, 2013

I added a new bracelet style to the shop! It's the Art Deco Inspired Bracelet with Two Clear Stones and Turquoise Charms. I added the single stone Art Deco bracelet a while ago, and now the second version is up. Supplies are limited with these ones, so hurry and pick your favourites! Find them at CharmingShop today!

Here is a very simple Banana Bread Recipe to brighten your day. The weather has been a little gloomy lately. Grey skies, a little rain here and there. The leaves are appearing on all the trees, the grass is as green as could be, but we're all wondering when the warm weather is coming. I've been spending most of my time inside in big winter sweaters, wrapped up in blankets. When is the cold going to end? I had a serious craving for something baked straight out of the oven, and there were a few bananas around that were too brown to eat now. So I thought I'd make some warm and tasty banana bread!

This recipe is so easy to make. It only took about five minutes to prepare and an hour to cook. Simple as that. No fuss.

Ingredients:

*3 bananas

*1 1/2 cups flour

*1 cup sugar

*1/3 cup butter (melt in microwave)

*1 egg

*1 tsp vanilla

*1 tsp baking soda

* pinch of salt

Okay, this is super simple! First preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a mixing bowl and mash your bananas in it until fairly smooth. Next add your melted butter and mix. Then mix in your sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. After that you can add your salt and baking soda and mix. If you're feeling adventurous add a bit of cinnamon in there too! Lastly, add your flour. Once that is all mixed together, pour your mixture into a loaf pan. Bake for exactly one hour and it comes out perfect!

You could actually use this recipe to make muffins or even bake it in a cake pan and ice it for a really nice cake! Let your banana bread cool for a while. Then put it onto a platter and slice it up. My loaf pan has a pretty design on the bottom of it, so I flip my banana bread upside down when I take it out so the design shows. How cute! It should still be hot enough that it tastes fresh and delicious. You won't want to stop eating it!

You can eat it plain or add some butter or margarine. I love mine with a hot cup of tea.

May 25, 2013

Hi there, I just wanted to give you all a little update today. I haven't posted anything in a few days. No don't worry, I haven't forgot about you! I just had an emergency hospital stay. Yeah pretty scary. But I'm feeling a bit better now, and I'm just taking it easy at home. We finished our kitchen reno and I can not wait to share that with you, because it looks phenomenal and it really brightened up the whole space. I also finished another shift dress art piece, so just one more to go and I can get all of that into the shop for you - originals and prints. Yay! So I just wanted to say, hang in there guys. I will be better soon and ready to do more blog posts and work on updating CharmingShop.

May 21, 2013

Hello everyone! Today I want to talk about my current favs. I always have a bunch of things that I get obsessed with, and right now these are the things I've been keeping in heavy rotation. I hope you enjoy them!

TURQUOISE

Okay...this obsession is not going to go away. I just recently painted my kitchen a lovely, rich shade of turquoise so I feel my collecting is on the verge of spiralling out of control! I mostly collect kitchen things in this beautiful aqua shade, but I've noticed it trickling into other areas of my home.

GOLD JEWELLERY

If you know me, you know gold is not my cup of tea. Maybe in clothing or home decor, but when it comes to jewellery, I stay clear. Even my entire jewellery line at CharmingShop is in silver! These are the only gold necklaces I own, and I've been incorporating them into my looks lately. Especially that geometric one on the left and the gorgeous wrapped stone on the top right. I've been wearing them together paired with my CharmingShop jewellery for a warm, flowing boho look. Maybe it has to do with the warmer weather, but I'm really wrapped up in gold!

ENRICHING HAIR OILS

I am crazy for hair serums. They really work for my thick, unruly, frizzy hair. It's so hard to tame my hair, and the shine and nourishment these give my hair is just incredible. At first I was so afraid to use them, because I really thought they would just make my hair greasy, but I'm a believer now. I couldn't live without my hair oils. My Pantene serum is almost all gone, so I bought this Organix Coconut Milk serum. It's a little heavier than I'm used to, but the way it makes my hair look is amazing. I always feel like an Old Hollywood movie star with great hair, and I think that's awesome.

VINTAGE FASHION

I'm not really one to wear vintage clothing. I will do accessories and vintage inspired clothes. I never really got into wearing fashion from the past. I admire the lovely fabric and textures and patterns. I love the colour palettes in vintage clothes so much more than modern clothing. Maybe that's why I've chosen to do a collection of artwork directly inspired by vintage clothing and accessories. I have been obsessing over cute details and retro shapes and silhouettes. I'm living and breathing a retro fashion dream all through my artwork, and the research that goes into making it as special as possible. My mindset is vintage.

BAIT FOOTWEAR

Remember how I said I got a package in the mail a little while back? Well it was two amazing pairs of shoes from Bait Footwear. I ordered these two for birthday presents to myself, and I am so happy I did! It was outrageously hard to pick which ones I wanted because there were so many I loved, but somehow I got it down to these two. I picked the Noel shoe in Luggage and the Dennise wedge in Blue. They are the smallest size - size 6. I have to admit, I have such a hard time finding shoes. My feet are so tiny, and it seems like no one ever has my size. I was sort of traumatized a while back. When I was graduating, I was on the hunt for gold heels in my size to match my cream and gold vintage inspired dress. Well I couldn't find a pair anywhere! And one day while I was shopping a salesperson just told me to give up because my feet were way too small. How mean! Every now and then I'll find the right size. But I just had a good feeling about Bait Shoes because they cater to vintage-lovers, so I was pretty sure they would be small enough. Ladies of the past had smaller feet, so I just went with this logic and hoped for the best! These two fit like a glove. They're perfect and fun, and I can say I will definitely be ordering more.

May 19, 2013

Do you want to know a really simple way of creating really cute art for your home? I'm forever collecting scraps of paper and fabric of really cute prints I like. If I buy something, and the cardboard packaging is so gloriously adorned with a special motif, I cut out the best pieces and keep them. I'm kind of a pattern hoarder if you will. I especially like retro inspired wrapping paper.

When I shop for wrapping paper I look for amazing vintage looking styles and make sure I keep at least a little section for myself. What do I do with these things? Well sometimes I use the smaller bits for arts and crafts, and they seem to always make their way into my collage artwork.

Sometimes the pattern is so large, I couldn't bare to cut it up and lose the beauty of the pattern. And why would you just keep them hidden away in a box so no one can see your collection? The best answer is frame them! Put them up on your walls so that everyone can see your collection! You showcase your personality through the artwork you keep in your home. This is no different.

And it's so easy! Just measure and cut out a piece for your frame. Make sure the print is straight if it needs to be. AND I can not stress enough, that you get the best possible picture out of it. Move it around and see what arrangement you like best. For example in my blue paper with the circles and starbursts, I really wanted to make sure I got a lot of starbursts in my piece and that they were evenly spaced out.

I framed 2 of my favourite wrapping paper pieces in a long panoramic style invisible frame to get the most out of the pattern. The piece with gifts on it is also wrapping paper and I chose a similar invisible frame, but a little smaller since the print and colours were so strong. The cardboard piece is from Orla Kiely packaging. I loved the motif, so I cut it out. As you've probably noticed I didn't frame this one, and for good reason. I left it because this one will go in our laundry room. It has sort of a shabby chic look, so leaving it in raw form and undone will go perfectly in there. The little blue piece is also from Orla Kiely packaging. I put it in this tiny blue frame and I think it looks just darling!

You can do your own very quickly using wrapping paper, fabric, newspaper, magazines or anything really. You can frame them in all the same style frame for a uniform look or you can do them all differently like me. You can have them grouped together or you can split them up and put them all over your house. You're the crafty one, so go wild! Make your pattern collection into unique and beautiful art. It only takes a couple minutes and then it's ready to hang. Yay!

Do you like this idea? Do you have a growing paper collection that's getting out of control? How would you style your pattern art?

May 16, 2013

Hello my lovely readers!
Today I'm here to tell you CharmingShop has officially joined Pinterest. I created an account months ago, but never pinned anything, because I had too much on my plate, what with the opening of CharmingShop and all the creating and business work. But now, I thought getting my Pinterest account up and running would be a good thing to do. So I've been pinning my own items up all morning. I plan on using Pinterest a lot. Just like Instagram. I'm a photo addict. I wanted to get all my work up for you to look at on a couple boards, and then I'll start pinning other things that I enjoy. I am actually excited to start pinning. I think I will be obsessed with it. I'm not sure if that worries me or if I'm just so overjoyed by the thought of grouping cool photos together. Oh boy. This should be good...

If you would like to take a look at the CharmingShop Pinterest boards, my account is here. Have a look around. Feel free to repin whatever you want! You can follow me too. And comment here with your Pinterest account, so I can follow you!

May 15, 2013

What I had originally wanted to do today was an Outfit post. I know you guys barely ever get to see me, and what I look like. (Sorry I'm shy!) I'm trying to be more present in pictures in my blog and I thought starting this lovely Wednesday off with a fashion blog post would be nice. But...I have a coldsore. The first one I have ever had in my entire life. Thanks. And paint stuck in my hair and on my hands. Not a pretty sight right now. Sorry guys. That outfit post will have to wait a bit.

Instead I thought I would treat you with a fabulous finished product.

This piece took me two days to finish. I powered through it as fast as I could, while trying to make it as awesome as it could possibly be. You know how I love a good vintage find. Well I just thought really hard about what I like a good vintage shift dress to look like. If I was in a thrift store, what kinds of dresses would I want to find there? Well here they are.

And some close-ups:

This piece will not be released yet. It's in the same series as the Retro Glasses pieces. All of these cool pieces will be released as open edition prints once I finish a couple more. There will be five or six in the group. Too many to choose from, right?! So far I want a print of each of them! What's a girl to do??

Well I hope you enjoyed this adorable piece. There will be another coming soon with totally different dresses on them. I would never make them exactly the same. What's the fun in that?!

And just to leave you in suspense, as I was writing this a super amazing package came in the mail... You'll find out what that is in a couple days!

May 14, 2013

Hello! I'm here to give you a little surprise today! If you live in Winnipeg or the surrounding areas, you'll want to listen up! As you already know (because I keep talking about it so much), we are hosting a garage sale very soon. But what I haven't said is that we are actually planning on setting up a lovely CharmingShop table, to let you have a good look at CharmingShop up close and in person. It would be my absolute dream to have my very own store, but this is just as good right now. Internet shopping is fun and exciting, but seeing things up close and in your hands is better, don't you agree?

We haven't set a real date yet. We are still working out the details and I don't want to start any major hauling of furniture until we have room. Our kitchen is in our living room right now so we can paint in there. So much going on! But what I can say is the sale will go on for 2 to 3 days depending on weather or how much foot traffic we get.

Not only am I extra excited about just having a plain old Garage Sale, I am crazy excited to get my stuff out there for you see! CharmingShop is my baby and I adore it. It's everything I believe in, and I'm so happy to share that with you. What will be there for you to look, fall in love with and take home?

Well because you're so special I will tell you. You get an early clue into what CharmingShop will look like on Garage Sale Day!

Here it goes, darlings:

PRETTY EARRINGS

LIMITED EDITION EARRING SETS

ATOMIC STACKING FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

ART DECO BRACELETS

CHARMING NECKLACES AND BRACELETS

(Not in our Etsy shop. No one's seen them yet!)

BALLOON GIRLS

ORIGINAL ARTWORK

GHOST BOXES

I am still working out whether or not I will have prints of my work by this time. And also if I will be selling things that I have listed on Etsy. I will keep you posted on that.

I can tell you though, I'm currently working on the stacking bracelets and they look amazing!

I'm also putting details into my shift dress pieces. you can see those via Instagram at @marissahowes.

They actually remind me of the handmade clothes my Barbies used to wear. Once I realized that, I kind of flew with it, and now I'm directly thinking about my childhood and my favourite pieces that I would put them in. My Barbies were so cool.

Okay Dears! Now that I've given you something to think about and a reason to come to my garage sale in the coming weeks, if not to sift through my unwanted clothes and stuff, I will leave you. It's time to get back to work!

May 13, 2013

Hey ladies, I've got some beauty tips for you today of the lipstick variety!

Follow these dos and you'll have the creamiest, dreamiest lips you've ever seen!

So you want you're lipstick to stay put? You want it to last all day? Or even just longer that it does now? How can you stop lipstick from bleeding out onto my face? Does it really have to look so uneven? Or dry? WHAT DO I DO?

Hang on girls, I promise there's a solution for you. Never say you can't wear lipstick. If you say that now it's just because you haven't found your proper method yet. I promise. Anyone can wear lipstick it's just a matter of finding the right colour and texture you're happy with. So get playing!

1. Exfoliate and Moisturize - If you have dry lips, this is a must. Be very very gentle and use a light scrub on your lips. If you don't have a store bought lip scrub, baking soda mixed with a little warm water works just as well. Don't use a facial scrub on your lips! It's too harsh on your pretty pout. And of course follow up with a little lip balm. If you're doing this in the day and applying makeup right after, do this about half an hour or an hour before makeup. At night is the best time to exfoliate though, and you should really only have to exfoliate your lips once or twice a week. Don't over-exfoliate those babies. They'll burn!

2. Blot off your Balm - Okay so you've had that moisturizing lip balm on for a while now and it's time for your lipstick. If you've got too slick of a surface that lipstick's going to slide right off your face. Think about it. What's it going to adhere to when you're lips are already covered? Don't wipe it off with a kleenex. That's way too rough. Get out a Qtip and lightly dab off the excess lip balm to make way for your colour.

3. Primer - This is no joke. YES there are lip primers. And YES they are miracle workers. My favourite is actually is the Elizabeth Arden Lip Primer, because it is truly amazing. Do you have darker or lighter spots in your skin pigment that show up under lipstick? Do you find your lipstick smears off fast? Or you apply it only to reveal a very uneven consistency. Try a primer. You will be amazed. Especially with that one in particular.

4. Line Those Lips - Lip Liner will extend the life of the lipstick you've wearing and be a border to keep it where it needs to be. AND did you know it actually acts as a light reflector. That's why you should never have a darker lip liner than your lipstick colour. It can deepen and darken your colour and give it a muddy look. Basically dark lip liner creates shadows, ladies. And we don't want shadows on our face! We like light and glowy skin, right?! So choose a lip liner a shade or two lighter than your lipstick choice. It doesn't even have to be the exact same colour as long as you keep the colour neutral. Always swatch on your hand with your lipstick first so you can see how they work together. If you're nervous about lip liner and really don't understand what to get. Don't be scared, there's a solution for you. There's such a thing as invisible lip liner! It's completely clear. No worries. No mess. And best of all it'll go with all your lipstick!

5. Dab don't Drag - Words can not express how much this is going to help you, my dears. When you drag your lipstick across your lips you're depositing a lot of pigment in a short amount of time. Sure you get the colour on fast, but pretty soon it's going to migrate straight off your lips. If you want long lasting lip colour, you have to dot and dab it on. Stipple that lipstick onto your lips. When you press it on, the lipstick is adhering with a stain effect. And you can apply in layers. If you got too light of a finish the first time, go over it again. Sometimes I just dab on once to give my lips a light stain wash of a colour.

6. Powder It - Okay so you need EXTRA extra wear. Here's what you do. Take translucent face powder or even an eyeshadow colour in a similar colour to your lipstick and lightly transfer it onto your lips with a brush. Again pat it on, but it should be a very sheer amount. If you make it cake-y, later on in the day you will end up with clumps. Yuck.

7. Another Layer - Did you get that powder on? Good! Now we dab on another layer of the lipstick to cover that powder. Now both your first layer and this layer are sticking to the powder in between. It's like a bonding agent. So great!

8. Choices - Here's where you have a couple choices. I love having just a matte look, so I'm not a gloss girl, but lots of women love lip gloss. If you love gloss, get your favourite out lightly dab it onto your lips. The right gloss can actually extend the wear of your lipstick also.

9. Finishing Spray - Many makeup brands offer a finishing or setting spray to set all your makeup when it's done. I really recommend this for a special occassion, like Grad, your wedding or any really special days your makeup has to stay in place no matter what. Follow the instructions on the package, because you need to spray a certain distance away to get a light mist and not a splash of water on your face!

10. Look In The Mirror - One last glance and look! You have such gorgeous lips they almost don't look real! Getting your routine just right will take practice, but you will learn what's right for you and the amount of time you have to do your makeup. You don't have to do all the steps every day. I certainly don't. Skip steps according to your lifestyle and your lipstick will still look fab!

You're all set, so get practicing today! What's your favourite tip? Are there any you already incorporate into your routine?

May 12, 2013

One person who is really, truly important in my life is my mom. She is the best mom I could've ever asked for. She's patient, kind, caring and always understanding. No matter what I've done in my life, she's always been there right beside me. Even if she doesn't always agree with what I'm doing, she's along for the ride. She puts everyone before herself.

Growing up she hosted the best birthday parties filled with cool crafts and activities. She's taken our friends in when they needed a place to stay, and let us move in and out of the house from apartments, or in my sisters case, coming back from moving to different cities...Any time we need help, she's there without even a thought.

It's her unselfishness and the amazing way she raised both me and my sister that make me really admire her. I hope that one day I can be as good as a mom as she is to me. I hope I can remember all the things she taught me, so I can teach my kids the exact same way. She's hilarious and lovable and so much fun to be around. She's like a really good friend, and to me that's pretty special.

May 11, 2013

This will be a quick blog post today. It's the weekend, which is always crazy busy for us and too make it even more hectic, it's Mothers Day tomorrow. I started some new projects for my Spring/Summer collection and they're coming along beautifully, and really mesh well with my Retro Glasses pieces. I really can't wait to show you.

Tomorrow I will be able to put my Mixed Media pieces in the shop, which is truly exciting for me.

AND

if you've been feeling like I haven't done anything with jewellery in a while, don't worry, you haven't been left out. I've been secretly working on a special collection of light, easy to wear summer bracelets.

All around, I've been working on building up some fabulous vintage inspired stock for you guys.

I'm having a Garage Sale soon and I've decided to set up a CharmingShop table!

So excited, and of course nervous. I hope you all like it! I've always said CharmingShop looks even better in person than it does on the Internet. Being able to see the little details that go into my work makes all the difference.

May 09, 2013

Like I said the other day, I'm preparing for our first ever garage sale in this house. I like to purge all my unwanted items. Clearing my life of clutter really frees up my mind as well as the space in my home. Not only that, but I enjoy the feeling of giving something away and knowing it'll go to someone else who can make use of it.

I enjoy going to garage sales myself, but hosting is a thrill of it's own. I just like seeing where all my things are going. I like watching when someone gets excited over something I couldn't make room for in my life anymore. We all have those items that we push around and move from room to room, hoping one day it'll come in handy. Well our house is small, and I've come to the realization that there are just things I will never use in a space this size. And waiting for a day five years down the road when I can use it, is just not in the plan for us.

It's okay to get rid of stuff. Having a garage sale means finding new homes for the items you once found special. So I'm okay with that. As a homeowner now I just try to think of long term value instead of a quick buy or sale. Like shoes for instance. If I buy a pair of shoes I have to know I will get a lot of wear out of them, and that I can wear them with anything. I tend not to buy things I think I can only wear once to one party. Multipurpose is my new favourite word.

Anyway I've been delving deep into my closet and drawers. Man, there are
tonnes of things I haven't seen in forever! But I thought this would be
a good time to show you some of my favourite wardrobe pieces that
coincidentally will not be going into my garage sale. They'll be
sticking with me for many years to come. These are my multipurpose
dresses. My little babies.

Left: I got this white 60s inspired shift dress five years ago to be my grad party dress (holy smokes...) This dress has certainly had a good life. It just goes to show you how timeless some pieces can be. I could wear this a few years down the road and you would never know I purchased it so long ago.

Right: This is a really pretty dress that so reminds me of Audrey Hepburn's dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Although I've never worn it with huge sparkling jewels all over me like she did, I always feel very feminine and elegant in this dress. It's structural design is so classic.

Left: This is my essential spring and summer date dress. It's light and pretty and I enjoy bringing it out for special occasions of any kind.With a cute shoe or cardigan you can really change up it's look.The silhouette is perfect.

Right: I got this dress online for a great deal. I was so worried about the fit, but I was spot on. It fits me like a glove. And the 1950s shape and cute modern details make this one a showstopper that really can't go out of stye.

Left: This delicate dress is like a sweet 50s prairie style day dress. You can wear it around the house to do errands or dress it up for a night on the town. It's my go-to dress right now.

Right: This dress is my weakness. It's so sparkly and wild and out there with a poufy full skirt, but I adore it more than anything else in my wardrobe. I got it at a store in the U.S. when I was there about a year ago. it was prom season and they had this dress out. Once I tried it on, that was it. I had to have it. Again, it has a dreamy 1950s shape that I clearly can not get enough of.

See? It's not hard! If you're looking for value in your clothes when shopping, look for fit, silhouette and a classic look. You'll get more out of a dress you can keep for a long time.

Pins and brooches. I have been collecting them from a very young age, but since then I've really refined my style.

I've been working to get my collection down to my absolute favourites. I trimmed it down pretty good for the garage sale. If I can stop being so sentimental maybe more of my jewellery will make it into the garage sale bins. Who knows. I can't stop holding onto things for the wrong reasons. I have to break my habit!

I hope you enjoyed a little peek into my wardrobe. I know it wasn't too big.

There's always more to come. I'll be working on getting my artwork up into the shop very soon, so bare with me!

I've been working so hard on my new art pieces. I think about them day and night. When I'm awake and when I'm sleeping. I've been living and breathing them. I wanted to do them just right. I like creating pieces that really speak to me and truly come from within. Okay I won't drag this on further. My two original mixed media pieces are finally finished.

May 08, 2013

It's getting so hot out here in Winnipeg, so I'm looking ahead to summer - backyard barbeques and late night bonfires. Quiet walks through the neighborhood on the weekends when everyone is away at the lake. We're busy at home, but the streets are silent and I go into relaxation mode as soon as I step outside. Oh how I live for sunny summer days!

Here are my warm weather needs and wants this year:

*This pretty sundress from Modcloth would be a perfect for outdoor entertaining.

*I have a deep obsession with sunscreen, so I can't go without my Vichy.